The province said a child under the age of ten was hospitalized due to the West Nile virus and is the first confirmed human case of the illness in Manitoba this year.

The child, from the Southern Health region, was likely exposed in early July and experienced neurological symptoms, the province said.

Going into the long weekend, the province is reminding people that warm and dry conditions have been ideal for the breed of mosquito that carries West Nile, the culex tarsalis.

The province said culex tarsalis usually feed when the sun is down, and people often fail to notice being bitten.

It also said while mosquito numbers are low, data shows the number of infected culex tarsalis is on the rise, and right now the risk of potential human exposure is high.

The province said the risk is expected to remain high in the coming weeks.

To reduce the risk, the province suggests limiting time spent outdoors between dusk and dawn, using repellent, wearing light-coloured, loose clothing and making sure screens on windows and doors are free of holes.

Homeowners are also asked to eliminate standing water by cleaning eaves troughs, emptying bird baths, covering rain barrels with mosquito screens, getting rid of containers that collect water and landscaping for better drainage.